Metallic wagon-tongue



(No Model.)

W. P. BETTIENDORP.

METALLIC WAGON TONGUB.

Patented July 26 wi. mmm: Pneus cm nom-umol, msnwcwu, n. c.

TvVILLIAM P. BETTENDORF, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA.

IVIETALL'IC WAGON-TONGUE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,622, dated J' uly26, 1892.

Application led January 15, 1892. Serial No. 418.136. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. BETTEN- DORF, of Davenport, county ofScott, and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement inMetallic Tongues for Wagons, &c., of which the following is aspecication.

This invention has in view the production of a wagon-tongue which shallpossess the essential qualities of lightness, cheapness, and strength.

With these ends in view I construct my tongue of sheet metal of a hollowor tubular form.

I prefer to construct the entire tongue, including the widened rearportion, from a single piece of metal and of tubular form; but in orderto diminish the weight and economize material it may be left open on theunder side for a portion of its length.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of my tongue inits preferred form; Fig. 2, a side View of the same. Figs. 3, 4, and 5are cross-sections of the same on the lines 3 3, 4 4, and 5 5 of Fig. 2.Fig.`6 is a plan View of the blank from which the tongue is formed.

In proceeding to manufacture my tongue I first out or stamp fromsheet-steel or other sheet metal a blank of the form shown in Fig. 6 orof similar form, of a length corresponding with that of the requiredtongue, and of an increasing width from one end toward the other. As therear end of the tongue to fit between the diverging hounds should beconsiderably wider than the remaining portion, the blank is widenedaccordingly at the rear end, its edges being preferably parallel for adistance of twenty-six inches, or thereabout. Of course the tongue maybe of any suitable length; but it is commonly made of a length of fromten to eleven feet. The blank, commencing with a width of about sixinches at the forward end, is gradually widened to fourteen inches, andthen widened to twenty-one inches at the rear end. These dimensions mayof course be modified at will and are u'sed herein simply for purposesof illustration. At the forward end the blank is provided with' lateralprojections or ears ct to form a shoulder for a neck-yoke, ashereinafter explained. Near the rear end a U-shaped incision is madethrough the middle of the blank, thus cutting loose tongue B, which isafterward turned upward over the top of the tongue to form ahammer-strap, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3. A hole b is punched throughthe end of this strap and a second hole h punched through the middle ofthe blank to register therewith, so that the pin to hold the doubletree,commonly known as the hammer-pin, may be seated therein. Near the rearend of the blank, in the same transverse line, I punch four holes c andc for the purpose which will presently appear.'

Having produced the blank, as above described, I bend or fold the samein crosssection along the longitudinal dotted lines represented in Fig.1, so thatit presents in crosssection at different points the formsshown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. For about seven feet of its length, at theforward end, the tongue is of tubular form, the two edges of the blankbeing brought together vertically face to face along the under side andriveted firmly together, thus preserving the tubular form and at thesame time giving increased strength to the structure. These downwardflanges a4 may be riveted, welded, seamed, or otherwise fastenedtogether, according to either of the modes commonly practiced bymechanics for joining the edges of sheet metal. I prefer, however, topunch holes a3 through the flanges, the metal of one flange beingpunched up around the hole in the form of a tubular rivet, which isprojected through the opposite flange or hole and burred down on theoutside, as shown in Fig. 4. These tubular rivets integral with thetongue are found to answer their purpose in an excellent manner. rlhelips, projecting downward on the under side of the tongue1 near thefront end, form a shoulder for the ring of the neck-yoke or otherholdback device to bear against, as usual. It will be perceived that thebottom lips or anges are omitted forward of the ears or projections ot,so that the eXtreme front end of the tongue presents a round form toreceive the ring of the neck-yoke.

The rear end of the tongue, increasing rapidly in width to tit betweenthe hounds, may be left open on the under side, as shown in Fig. 3, theedges of the blank being turned IOO downward and inward, so as to givethe proper external form and the necessary rigidity. Increased strengthis given by turning the edges along this open portion downward in theform of flanges a4, as shown in Fig. 8.

Increased strength may be given the tongue as a whole by forminglongitudinal flutes or corrugations 01,5 therein, as shown in Figs. l,2, and 4. These corrugations may be of any suitable form incross-section and be extended to any part in the length of the tongue. Iprefer to provide the hammer-strap also with a longitudinal corrugationb3 to increase its stiffness and to press the metal of the hainmer-strapupward around its hole b to form an annular flange, as shown in Figs. land 2, to give an increased bearing surface for the hammer-pin.

At the rear end the tongue may be provided with a transverse horizontalhole to receive the bolt by which it is connected to the hounds or otherportion of the wagon. This transverse hole may be formed in any suitablemanner; but I recommend the construction shown in Figs. l, 2, and 5.Referring to these figures, it will be seen that a deep grooving orindentation C6 is formed transversely in the upper part of the tongue bypressing down the metal between the holes c c'. Now when the edges ofthe blank are bent downward into shape the holes c c in the sides of thetongue are brought into line with the holes c c and the channel C6, asplainly represented in Fig. 5, so that the bolt may be passedtransversely through the holes c', the holes c, and the intermediatechannel CG. In this way I obtain a very extended bearing-surface for thebolt, so that there is no danger of the tongue wearing loose thereon.

It will of course be manifest to the skilled mechanic that the sectionalform of the tongue may be varied at different points in its length atWill, provided only the general Inode of construction herein describedis retained. For example, it is manifestly immaterial Whether the tongueis round, rectangular, or of other outline in cross-section, and itisimmaterial as regards the general result to what extent the tongue isleft open on the under side, provided the requisite rigidity isretained. It is also obvious that the hammerstrap may be formed in aseparate piece and secured to the tongue in any appropriate manner.

I believe myself to be the lirst to produce a hollow sheet-metalwagon-tongue, and this I broadly claim in any form the mechanicalequivalent of that herein shown.

In special cases I propose to omit that portion of the tongue lyingforward of the line A B, Figs. l and 2, and to introduce a Wooden boltor tongue into the remaining portion.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A wagon-tongueformed of sheet metal, the front or pole portion bent into tubular formand the rear portion iiat and of a width and shape to fit between thefront hounds of the Wagon, substantially as shown and described.

2. A wagon-tongue formed of sheet metal, the front or pole portion bentinto tubular form and the rear portion dat, of size and shape. to fitbetween the front hounds of the Wagon, and having downturned edges withopenings therein for the reception of the crossbolt, substantially asshown and descried.

3. A sheet-metal wagon-tongue having an integral hammer-strap formed bybending up a strip of metal severed along its longitudinal edges and atone end, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 15th day of December,189l,in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

WILLIAM P. BETTENDORF.

Vitnesses:

THos. B. CARSON, E. D. CLARK.

